The WRN helicase: resolving a new target in microsatellite unstable cancers

One of the goals of precision medicine is to uncover selective vulnerabilities in various cancers. A notable success has been years ago, it was discovered that cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI) were selectively dependent on the RecQ DNA helicase WRN. Subsequently, the molecular mechanism underlying WRN dependency in MSI cancers was uncovered. Here, we review how these developments have led to a promising new drug target in MSI cancers.